Photo gallery: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1The world of the superzoom is in a bit of an akimbo stance at the moment. There's stiff competition from a host of different avenues — the increasing affordability of entry-level digital SLRs, the do-it-all approach of compact cameras, and the encroaching threat of the Micro Four Thirds camera brigade all pose problems for the hulking behemoths of the 18x-optical-zoom-and-over legions.
Sony's HX1 is standing firm in its respective position, looking strikingly similar to a bunch of other superzooms currently on the market from brands like Nikon and Olympus. A case of not waving but drowning?
Design
That tilting screen in action. (Credit: CBSi)
From the outset, the HX1 doesn't seem to have any particular tricks up its sleeve, in the design department anyway. It measures 9.2x11.5x8.3cm and weighs 453g, which is again very similar to the rest of the superzooms out there. Button configuration around the back has a four-way directional pad sitting next to the 3-inch LCD screen (which, incidentally, pivots out and angles down from the hinge at the rear). At the top is a curiously positioned on/off switch that took us a few moments to find and orient on our first inspection, with a mode dial, shutter button and zoom rocker pushed down the front of the right-hand side camera grip.
Towards the top, sitting just above the viewfinder is a stereo microphone, as well as a pop-up flash. At this stage, we're currently bemoaning the lack of a hotshoe (similar to our issue with the Nikon P90) and it's an immediate reason to deduct some points.
At the bottom, the battery cover houses the Lithium-ion unit as well as a slot for a Memory Stick Pro Duo card. It seems Sony still hasn't got the standardisation note, so there's no SD/Compact Flash compatibility here. The lens cap is a curious, but rather useful design that we haven't come across before. It pops off the front of the lens with a simple and standard pinch action, but when you replace it on the lens it simply slides into place without a subsequent pinch action. Very nice.
Features
Consumers will lap up this camera for one reason — its hulking 20x optical zoom that places it squarely in line with Canon's PowerShot SX1 IS. The lens itself is wide angle, extending from 28mm to 560mm, with aperture values of f/2.8-5.2. There are other interesting features worth noting as well, including HD video recording (at 1440x1080 pixels though, rather than the full 1080p that Canon manages) and the 9.1-megapixel Exmor CMOS sensor, which has trickled down from the Alpha digital SLR line (the Canon has a CMOS sensor too). Starting to spot a pattern yet?
Things start to look a little different as we inspect the other functionalities — 10 frames per second in burst mode and something called Sweep Panorama. In this mode, the HX1 will take a continuous stream of shots, either vertically or horizontally, in order to piece together a panorama of either 4912x1080 or 7152x1080 pixels.
The mode dial houses the standard PASM options, as well as intelligent auto, easy mode, anti-motion blur, twilight mode, panorama, scene and movie mode options. Just underneath, on the actual back of the camera is a rotating dial that's used to adjust shooting settings, like shutter speed and aperture. It's a little unresponsive though, which detracts from its usefulness.
Performance and image quality
Fortunately, for the misgivings we've listed above, the HX1 more than makes up for it in terms of performance. Starting up in two seconds, its zippy recording, playback and shooting speed are a real match for the other superzooms out there at the moment.
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| Time to first shot | Typical shot-to-shot time | Shutter lag (dim) | Shutter lag (typical) |
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Automatic mode also did a good job of determining the correct type of shot to take, whether macro or landscape, and exposures and focus were generally correct. And at first, we thought the HX1 did a pretty good job in terms of image quality, as they presented well when we reviewed them on the camera screen — particularly the panoramas. However, transferring them onto the computer revealed a few anomalies. First of all, the lens struggled a lot with blowing out highlights in direct sunlight. There was a slight degree of chromatic aberration (though to be fair, this is usually an issue with superzooms). Other images displayed a distinct sense of over-processing, especially at the telephoto length of the lens. It doesn't appear as if the lens is at fault given the trickle-down optics from the "G" series optics, and the images have a distinctly digitised feel to them.
The HX1 looks like it over-processes images, especially when you view them at full magnification. (Credit: CBSi)
Unfortunately, as the camera doesn't shoot in RAW, we didn't have the opportunity to verify if the JPEG was being over-processed either. Video quality was, surprisingly, much more pleasing than still image results, with good sound picked up from the stereo microphone and not too much wind noise. Colours were well saturated and objects appeared sharp: plus, you can use the full 20x optical zoom during filming.
Twilight mode works on the premise of taking a handheld photo at night without using a tripod or flash, and works relatively well, though the resulting images are covered in noise — at ISO 3200 you won't be able to get a usable, full-sized print.
The sweep panorama mode worked incredibly well, as you move the camera along a set trajectory and the camera stitches everything together for you almost instantaneously. On close inspection though, you will see areas where the camera has pieced two pictures together — resulting in some strange visions of people cut in half or moving objects like cars or trucks sliced into pieces. For best results, we'd suggest you concentrate the panorama mode on still landscapes.
Glue sticks at the ready, it's like a cut-and-paste exercise. Look for the legs, click image to enlarge. (Credit: CBSi)
Conclusion
There's a lot to like from looking at the specifications of the HX1 — a good sensor, good lens, a flurry of additional modes (whether they are a novelty or useful is up to you) and standard superzoom design. Then you get to the small question of image quality and, unfortunately, the HX1 falls down. There's also the price factor — for over AU$1000, which is entry-level dSLR territory, you don't actually get that much. Though the HX1 is quick, the Canon SX1 offers better value for money (and better pictures).
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